Cradling
by S J Smith-Evil Little Dog
Summary: Ed's lost the baby.  Post-108 fic.


**Title: **Cradling

**Author:** S J Smith

**Rating:** K+

**Summary: ** Ed's looking for the baby.

**Disclaimer: ** Arakawa owns all. I just play here.

**Note:** This is kind of a sequel to "Handiwork", and is dedicated to Leni, since she inspired it with a conversation we had on Live Journal, after she'd read "Handiwork".

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><p>Ed woke abruptly with a snort, sitting up and automatically scanning the room. He wasn't sure what woke him, but something didn't seem quite right. Frowning, he looked around the room, seeing a pile of books, a framed picture of a dissected skull, hanging crooked on the wall next to another of a diagram of an exploded automail elbow joint, his desk, also covered with books, his chair, askew to the desk, the rug, with a baby blanket on it and a couple of toys, the door, mostly closed – wait.<p>

He frowned, running a hand over his bangs. Where was Simon? Getting to his feet, Ed grabbed the blanket, figuring there wasn't any way his son could've gotten far. He could barely roll over on his own, so Winry must've come and found them both. A faint flush heated his face that Winry thought he wasn't able to take care of Simon on his own, but Ed shook it off. Winry and he traded off baby duties as best they could. A fussy baby would've woken him, so Winry got to Simon before he really started complaining.

Hearing the familiar whine of some motor in the workshop, Ed made his way to the room. As he peered through the door, he saw Winry bent over the grinder, lost in her work. Despite her shapeless coveralls, Ed couldn't help but feel a hint of arousal, knowing what was hidden beneath the heavy fabric. Continuing to look around the room, he finally spotted a foot, kicking up out of a tool chest drawer.

"Hey, buddy," Ed said, leaning over the tool chest. His son gurgled, squirming and waving his hands at the sight of his daddy. "Why did Mommy put you in her tool chest?" He scooped Simon out of the drawer, glad Winry had padded it with a blanket, though if Simon was anything like his mother, sleeping on wrenches would be pretty commonplace. Bouncing Simon in his arms, Ed sat down to wait out Winry.

About ten minutes later, she straightened up, turning off the grinder and setting aside the piece of metal to cool. Winry stretched her arms over her head, arching her back, then unzipped her coveralls as she turned around. "Oh!"

"You can keep doing that, if you want," Ed told her, with a nod at her zipper. Simon chortled, wagging his pudgy hands at her. "Simon agrees."

"Probably for a different reason entirely," Winry said, giving them both a look. She held out her hands. Ed made buzzing sounds and flew Simon over to her. Giggling, their son grabbed Winry's hair, and she gently pried his fingers loose. They sat down together, Simon made sucking sounds and nuzzling her chest. Winry opened up her work bra, freeing her breast and offering him her nipple. Simon latched on eagerly.

"Yeah," Ed admitted, "well, mostly different reasons." He grinned as Winry gave him a quirky sneer. "Was he hungry earlier?"

"No, diaper change, and you looked cute sleeping." Winry rubbed Simon's cheek with the back of her fingers as he nursed.

"So, afterward, you figured you'd give him a beginner's course in hand tools?" Waving a hand at the chest, Ed pointed at the adjustable wrenches still inside of Simon's makeshift cradle.

Winry shrugged. "He didn't want to play, and he was still sleepy, so I let him take a nap there. It's no different then when Mom used to pack me in a doctor's bag and take me with her on rounds."

"Your mom did that?" Ed put his arm around Winry, kissing her temple when she leaned against him.

"Yeah. Granny told me."

He still sulked a little bit. "After I made you a nice cradle."

"Oh, stop pouting." Winry nudged Ed with her elbow. "The cradle's beautiful, but it's not here in the workshop, and the tool chest is. Besides, Simon wasn't complaining, were you, honey?" She kissed his silky gold hair, and Simon grunted at being interrupted while he was eating.

"Let's not teach him to talk with his mouth full," Ed grumbled, wincing when Winry elbowed him again. "Hey! What was that for?"

Her mouth crimped. "Like you're one to talk."

Ed rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Just feed the baby." Nuzzling her ear, he murmured, "and later, I'll show you I can eat without talking." Winry's flush made the subsequent elbow to his ribs worth it.


End file.
